So I'm happily coasting along in EV mode heading home last night, when a mile from my house, my car "DING DING DING"s and up on the MFD pops "CHECK VSC SYSTEM"

Sweet. only 10k on the odometer and something's wrong already.

I read on another post about something similar that happened to someone else and they just had to flash the ECU to fix it... but I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen?

 

Did you see this page?

 

Yeah, I tried google too. I didn't get the CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM warning though, just the CHECK VSC SYSTEM. The owners manual says it's the brake system, but the brakes were working fine. It's going to the dealer tomorrow, so I guess I'll find out then?!

 

The more I read these forums, the more afraid I am of this car!

 

me too, I was expecting rattles and squeaks, not CHECK VSC SYSTEM! oh well, that's what warranties are for!

 

Honestly, I can't remember how many times I had to have my old Ford Ranger in the shop for brake issues before I got rid of it. I never heard of wide sweeping problems because I never looked.

The issue is, the more people you have sharing information, the more ups and downs you have -- usually just downs because people don't report the ups. This gives us a better picture of the situation but there are two problems. First, it is skewed to the downs. Second, there are still thousands of people not reporting.

Why be worried about a car because a few people (out of thousands) had a weird problem?

That said, I do feel like there are some portions of the 2007's that were rushed and it seems Toyota took some steps to correct these in the 2008 model. Of course this does not help those of us with the 2007 and it does not mean the 2008 is problem free. No piece of machinery is.

I will say that these warning lights -- often dummy lights -- suck. Sometimes they go off because some sensor some where failed and it makes it look like the problem is far worse than it really is.

Good luck Katie!!! Please let us know how it goes.

Mike

 

Reminds me of "When I read about the evils of drinking... I gave up reading!"
The point I was trying to make wasn't about information, since I believe "bad news travels fast", rather it was these cars are ultra high tech vehicles.
The problems, when they are mechanical, are easier to reckon with (IMHO). If your old Chevy has a problem, it can still move, although it makes funny noises.
When they are electronic, it's scarier. When there's a problem, your up a certain creek without a paddle.

 

I certainly dislike the use of computers in cars. I do not trust a computer.

 

That sorta depends on how you define "computer". I actually wish my camry HAD a computer (Like maybe wifi or 3G access to check my email and sync with my home computer).

The ECM in cars I had from the late 80's is a "computer". My new Camry surely has A LOT more electronics in it then those cars, but I doubt you can buy a car that was made after 1980 that doesnt have a "computer" of some sort. That being said, I have rebuilt engines in 3 different cars and I also fixed about 5000 different computer problems for people, but I still trust electronics over mechanics any day!

No offense at all, but I think most people that say they hate all these "computers" in newer cars are probably all over 40-50 years old. I would be amazed to hear someone under 25 saying anything like that, mainly because they grew up around computers and hi-tech electronics. I am going to be 31 years old in 5 days, but I am a huge electronics geek/nerd. Probably why I wish there were MORE electronics in my car!!
LOL This is just my opinion, I could be WAY wrong in my super electronics loving nerd thinking though!

 

...just wait till your car gets a BSOD (or a Spinning Beachball) at 70MPH!